The Playoffs Run Through Wizards' Development System

He's a recent Capital City alumnus who passed through DC three seasons ago in an attempt to make his way back into the league. The former-top five draft pick failed to stick the landing in Chicago with an offensive game that's still yet to back up such a selection, but his baby steps as a spot-up shooter have warranted his rotational value as a defensive disruptor.

Utah certainly thought so, swooping him out of Washington's system and rebuilding his value with a season and change with the Jazz. He bagged a multi-year contract out west, and found himself a newly-minted Clipper after they dealt Russell Westbrook out of LA. Now, he's a key piece on a clear contender.

Another look at the Western Conference bracket reveals more former Go-Go, with several of those rebuilt role players organizing a rendezvous in Golden State.

Gary Payton II has come a long way since totaling 32 games played for the Wizards across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, spending considerate time crossing between the NBA and the G League in attempting to carve out the kind of niche that Kris Dunn has gone on to capitalize off of.

Multiple additional post-Washington stops eventually led Payton to the Warriors, where the perimeter defender showed up right in time to cash in on their run to the title in 2022. He earned minutes as a stopper and an undersized fast break finisher, and he's still filling minutes today as a Stephen Curry running mate three seasons later.

He shares a locker room with Pat Spencer, who's had as irreplicable a road to the NBA playoffs as anyone in the league.

The former lacrosse superstar decided to take his talents to basketball after earning a selection as the first overall prospect in the Premier Lacrosse League's first ever draft, making his G League debut with the Go Go during the 2021-22 season. While Curry was working toward winning his fourth ring, Spencer recorded 12 points in the only game he donned a Capital City jersey.

He eventually made his return to the G two seasons later with the Santa Cruz Warriors, earning a call-up midway through the year. Spencer elevated into a fringe-rotational role in 2024-25, appearing in 39 games as a deep-bench point guard.

The former lacrosse star finally had his moment in the sun in the Warriors' Game 2 contest against the Houston Rockets, called into the game well before his standard garbage time appearance expectation after Jimmy Butler III exited the game early with an injury. Spencer adjusted quickly, scoring 11 points on 5/7 shooting as a much-needed non-Curry ball handler.

Former Wizards and the various journeymen they've tied themselves to over the years are everywhere for those with the eyes to see, and their standout playoff moments are shining lights on their long journeys to reaching the highest stage.